Linton Bay Marina is the cruiser base on Panama's Caribbean coast east of Colón, tucked behind Isla Linton at Puerto Lindo near Portobelo. It has around 80 slips, a mooring field and the biggest Travelift in the country, so it serves both boats heading to San Blas and boats being hauled or stored. It is hurricane-free, a couple of hours by road from Panama City, and much quieter than the canal.
Quick facts
| Coast | Caribbean |
|---|---|
| Location | Puerto Lindo, near Portobelo |
| Slips | 80+ slips, 16 moorings |
| Travelift | 160 tonnes, 39 ft beam |
| Fuel | Listed; confirm availability |
| Yard | Yes, large hard-stand |
| Liveaboard | Yes |
| Website | lintonbaymarina.com |
Location and access
The marina is at Puerto Lindo (also written Puerto Lindo / Linton Bay), roughly 009°36.9'N, 079°34.8'W, on the stretch of coast between Portobelo and Isla Grande in Colón province. Isla Linton shelters the bay from the open Caribbean, and the marina sits inside that protection. Noonsite describes it as "tucked in behind Isla Linton" with clearance services, sheltered berthing and boatyard services.
By sea it is a short hop east of the canal breakwater and the natural last stop before the Guna Yala (San Blas) islands. By road you take the Colón highway from Panama City, turn east toward Portobelo and continue past it to Puerto Lindo. Allow roughly two hours each way from the city; the Portobelo road is slow and the marina does not publish a transfer time, so confirm with them or your driver. Banks and ATMs are in Sabanitas, on the way, according to Noonsite.
There is an on-site Port Captain who has issued cruising permits to arriving yachts (Noonsite, 2018 report), and the marina says it can process incoming and outgoing papers. Immigration is not at Puerto Lindo; the nearest office is in Portobelo. See arrival and clearance for the full sequence.
Slips, moorings and who it suits
The marina's own site advertises "80+ slips"; its Noonsite listing says 81 slips and 16 mooring balls, with a dinghy dock linking the mooring field to shore. Docks are described by cruisers as good quality. Water, electricity and internet are available across the site, though a 2016 report noted water depends on the local municipal supply.
Who it suits:
- Cruisers staging for San Blas who want a slip, provisioning and clearance before heading east.
- Owners storing a boat between seasons, in the water or on the hard, with no hurricane risk.
- Catamarans and larger monohulls that need a big lift; the 160-tonne Travelift takes beams up to 39 ft.
- Liveaboards; the marina lists live-aboard needs among the things it caters for.
Yachts anchored in the bay can use the dinghy dock for a small fee (Noonsite reported US$3 a day or US$30 a month in 2016; free if you come in for a drink at the bar). Confirm current terms.
Fuel, yard and services
Yard: the headline asset is a 160-tonne Travelift, which the marina calls the largest in Panama, able to lift catamarans or monohulls up to 39 ft wide. Around 16,500 m² of hard standing is used for work and storage, with a further 5,000 m² being added for long-term storage. Repairs, maintenance and equipment are listed; ask the yard office which trades are on site and which are outside contractors.
Fuel: fuel is listed as a service. A 2016 cruiser report mentions bunkering 10,000 litres at a good price after the fuel facility opened. Confirm hours and availability before you count on it.
Ashore: a club house, laundry, restrooms, security, shade and green space, and two restaurants: the Tropic Bar and Restaurant and the Blue Point Restaurant (local and Colombian cooking). The village of Puerto Lindo has small shops; serious provisioning means a run to Sabanitas or Colón.
Noonsite carries a 2020 user complaint about yard practices and limited showers for the number of boats. It is one unverified account, but worth asking about if you are planning a long yard stay.
Charter pickup and rules
Linton Bay is the usual departure point for crewed charter catamarans bound for Guna Yala, because it is the closest marina to the islands with road access from Panama City. If you plan to board paying guests here, confirm the marina's terms for commercial operations, remember that Guna Yala charges its own comarca fees, and make sure your vessel and operator paperwork with the Autoridad Marítima de Panamá (AMP) and the Autoridad de Turismo de Panamá (ATP) is in order. Our marinas and docking page covers what Panamanian marinas generally expect.
Costs and how to contact the marina
The marina does not publish a tariff on the pages we could open. Older cruiser reports on Noonsite quoted roughly US$0.47 per foot per day for monohulls and US$0.63 for catamarans, with monthly rates around US$0.30 and US$0.40 per foot per day, but those figures are from 2016 and will have changed. Confirm the current slip, mooring, haul-out and storage rates with the marina, and ask whether the 7% ITBMS tax is included.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Phone / WhatsApp | +507 6493-1511 |
| [email protected] | |
| Website | lintonbaymarina.com |
| VHF | Not published; ask when booking |
Nearby waters
West is Portobelo, with its colonial forts, anchorage and Panamarina's mooring field about 2 nm away toward Isla Grande. Further west, the canal and Shelter Bay Marina. East begins Guna Yala, the main reason most boats are here; see cruising grounds.
Two things to know. First, the winter northerlies (December to March) send swell onto this coast; inside the bay behind Isla Linton you are sheltered, but the coastal passage can be lumpy. Second, security. Noonsite logged several incidents in Linton Bay in 2018 and an armed robbery of an anchored yacht in 2019; the marina and SENAN (Servicio Nacional Aeronaval) said they would start night patrols. Inside the marina with security staff is a different proposition from anchoring out. Lock dinghies and outboards everywhere on this coast.
Your practical starting checklist
- Email or WhatsApp the marina with LOA, beam, draft, dates and whether you want a slip, mooring or haul-out.
- Ask for the current rate sheet, including electricity, water and the ITBMS tax.
- If you are arriving from abroad, ask whether the Port Captain is on site for your cruising permit and plan the Portobelo immigration visit.
- Approach by day; the bay is reef-fringed and the marina does not publish a VHF channel.
- For haul-outs, confirm Travelift availability and whether your contractors are allowed on the hard.
Frequently asked questions
How many slips does Linton Bay Marina have?
The marina says 80-plus; its Noonsite listing gives 81 slips and 16 mooring balls.
What size boat can the Travelift haul?
160 tonnes and up to 39 ft (about 12 m) beam, which covers most cruising catamarans.
How far is Linton Bay from Panama City?
Roughly two hours by road via Colón and Portobelo. The marina does not publish a time; confirm with them or your driver.
Can I clear into Panama at Linton Bay?
Cruisers report a Port Captain on site for the cruising permit, but immigration is in Portobelo. Check current arrangements before you arrive.
Is Linton Bay safe from hurricanes?
Yes. Panama lies south of the hurricane belt, which is why boats are stored here year-round.
The next question to answer
Panama's Caribbean coast by boat: Shelter Bay, Portobelo, Linton, Isla Grande, San Blas and Bocas del Toro. Winter trades and swell, reefs, fuel, security. Read Cruising Panama's Caribbean coast: Colón to San Blas.
San Blas by boat: the Guna Congreso cruising fee (paid at Porvenir), per-island anchoring fees, no scuba, no taking coconuts, lobster closures, etiquette. Read San Blas (Guna Yala) by boat: permits, fees and rules.
Every marina, anchorage and yard that matters, both coasts. Read Marinas in Panama.
Official resources
Use the relevant Panamanian authority for current requirements and fees. These resources are the next place to check; a practical recommendation is not an agency determination.
- Linton Bay Marina (official site) ↗
- Noonsite: Linton Bay Marina listing ↗
- Noonsite: Puerto Lindo docking ↗